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April 07, 2009
This spring, new outdoor-themed alcohol awareness posters will be
prominently displayed in all state liquor stores that encourage
parents to talk to their kids about alcohol.
In September 2008, the Washington State Liquor Control Board
launched an alcohol awareness campaign in liquor stores aimed at
parents of middle school and high school aged kids. The goal of
the campaign is to increase the awareness of underage drinking
and motivate parents to talk to their children about alcohol.
The poster campaign began in liquor stores, but has grown to
include many stakeholders to include: Washington State Patrol,
Dep. of Licensing Service Offices, Attorney General Offices,
DASA Offices, and many schools, stadiums, and government
buildings.
The WSLCB will build on this campaign by releasing a spring
poster and enhancing web site components of the campaign. Key
elements include:
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A new parent-focused poster with the message
“They talk about everything…But you are the one they should
be talking to about alcohol.”
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A brief online survey about the campaign on
both
StartTalkingNow.org & WSLCB web sites.
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The
StartTalkingNow.org web site contains
the latest research, tips, and information regarding
underage drinking.
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Anyone who completes the survey can have a
poster sent to them free of charge.
Underage drinking continues to be a leading
public health problem in Washington. Studies show that our youth
are drinking too early and too often. We have learned that our
youth list parents as the #1 influence on whether they choose
not to drink, but parents think they are far down on the list of
influence, and therefore, often wait too long to talk to their
kids about alcohol.
One of the most effective strategies to reduce underage drinking
is to encourage parents to talk to their children about alcohol
use. Studies have shown that children who have frank discussions
about alcohol with their parents are less likely to experiment
with it.
For more information on this campaign, please contact Tony
Masias, Alcohol Awareness Program Manager, at
avm@liq.wa.gov or
360-664-1771.
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